Not So Bad
by AtheisticPokemon
Summary: "You were taken, Arty." Apollo sees Artemis for the first time after she is forced to hold the sky. Rated T for swearing.


**A/N Hmmmmmm . . . I should probably update You'd Be Surprised . . . and Traitor, Traitor . . . Ah, well. Who could resist a nice little brother/sister love, eh? In the most non-incestual way, of course.**

**But anyway, this scene is the end of TTC, because I can't imagine that Artemis would just walk in, sit on her throne and have solstice begin. **

**OoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Apollo was anxious.

No, Apollo was _beyond _anxious. Apollo was anxious and jumpy and excited and angry all at the _same fucking time_.

Yes, he was a God. And yes, Gods were supposed to be cool, calm and collected at all times but _godsdammit _this was his baby sister!

His baby sister, the one who was just kidnapped. The one who he loved to annoy. The one who was just forced to hold up the sky. The one who was technically older. His _twin _for gods' sakes.

Yes, Artemis was taken from him, and he hated it. He was her brother and he should be able to protect her. But he _didn't_. Against his better judgment, he did not follow her when she went hunting alone. No, he took her Hunters, just like he was told to do. And what does he get for listening? A kidnapped baby sister.

He will _never _let her out of his sight again. At least, that's what he tells himself. He knows that she's Artemis, the Huntress, and that he can't tie her to a chair and keep her safe all the time.

He wishes, though. Oh, how he wishes. He wishes that she would've taken _someone_. Him, or Zoë, or, Hades, even Percy! (Secretly, he knows that Artemis hasn't hunted with a boy since Orion, but he doesn't necessarily mind.)

Anyway, his baby sister was taken, but the Demigods _saved _her. He would be eternally grateful to all of them, but partial to Percy for finally taking the _whole freaking sky_ off her shoulders. (Inside, he knows that he can never tell them that. Gods can't meddle, after all.)

So Apollo sits on his throne, jumping every time a door opens, only to be disappointed by a minor godling or a nature spirit or one of the Olympians preparing for solstice. Finally, after nearly burning up the entire world, he sees the petite frame of little Arty come through the door; beaten, battered and bruised, but he was overjoyed.

He runs up and hugs as he's never hugged before, Artemis struggling the whole time. She says something, but it's lost in Apollo's shoulder. Finally, she musters the strength to separate them.

"Ugh, Apollo!" She shouts, glaring and Apollo can't seem to tear the grin from his face. "What was that?"

"Aw, I missed you!" He replies, only to be denied another hug.

She rolls her eyes. "I wasn't gone that long."

Finally, he frowns. "You don't get it, do you?" She shakes her head slowly, giving him a confused look.

He opens his mouth to say something, but notices the small crowd they've attracted. He grabs her arm and drags her off to a more private location.

"You were _taken_, Arty."

"Don't call me Arty."

He glares. "That's not the point. This wasn't some hunting expedition. This wasn't one of those trips where you have a band of teenage girls hunting monsters you can handle. You were kidnapped by a _titan_ and forced to hold up the _sky_. And all I could do was watch," He mumbles the last bit to himself.

"Apollo, I had everything under control," She says, hoping to escape her brother's rant.

Quite the opposite, in fact. He becomes furious. "Oh, so you _planned_ to be kidnapped? You _planned _to be forced to take the sky from Athena's daughter? You _planned _for Percy Jackson to take it from you so you could fight Atlas yourself? You _planned_ for your lieutenant to _die_?" In an instant, he knew he had gone too far. The tears in the corners of her eyes that he would reprimand himself later for not noticing finally spilled out and she collapsed in his arms.

"It's my fault," She mumbles, soaking his shirt.

"No, Artemis. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have said that," He replies in a soothing tone, rubbing her back. "But you have no idea how worried I was. Zeus has that stupid rule. I broke it, by the way. I broke it just for you. "

Artemis smiles for the first time since she's been taken. "Because following rules is your main priority."

Apollo returns the grin. "There's my Arty."

She puts space between them and promptly punches her brother. "I told you not to call me that."

"Let's make a deal," He replies. "I won't ever call you Arty, and you will never go hunting alone again. _Ever_."

She prepares a witty retort, but notices that for once, there is no amusement in his eyes whatsoever. She realizes with a start the impact that her kidnapping had on Apollo. She nods. "Okay, Apollo. I promise never to go hunting alone."

And suddenly, the amusement returns. "Great. Now, let's go see if anyone's been killed on the council, shall we?"

And as Apollo wraps his arm around his 'baby' sister, Artemis thinks that maybe, just maybe, her twin isn't so bad after all.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**D'awwwwwww! Isn't that just the most adorable thing you've ever read? No? You heartless bitch. KIDDING!**

**Anyway, it's almost midnight here, and I do have school tomorrow. And school is the most important thing in the whole wide world! (Haha, sure. Whatever.)**

**Do review! It brings a smile to my face! And when I'm smiling, I don't hurt people! Usually . . .**

**Peace, Love, and Pokémon-  
>Mercu<strong>


End file.
